


Hunters

by xXFoxtaiLXx



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Animals, Fluff and Angst, Hunters & Hunting, M/M, Minor Character Death, Trials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 20:16:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16182410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXFoxtaiLXx/pseuds/xXFoxtaiLXx
Summary: Philip doesn't like that Evan and Anna practice hunting outside of the trials.





	Hunters

Philip squinted as Nea's flashlight flicked on, the light momentarily blinding him. He simply stood there waiting for it to end, he knew as soon as he entered the gates she'd run so he just let her and the others have their fun. He heard Jake shouting something as the torch went on again and he sighed. Raising the skull he advanced forward, striking Nea who was still stood taunting him. She hissed in pain and scowled at him before leaving, muttering something under her breath as she did. Jake and Feng left quickly after, looking over their shoulder at him as they ran off back to the fire.

He barely had the effort for trials at the moment. He felt like he was going through the motions at this point, doing the bare minimum to appease the entity. At least one kill most of the time, two if he put in a bit of effort and occasionally four when he used his good offerings to make sure the entity wouldn't actually punish him for his poor performances. The others had noticed, especially some of the newer ones. The ones desperate to kill, or desperate to survive. 

Michael and Sally still had pretty solid performances. Michael was well... Michael. Didn't say a word to any of them, just went into a trial and came out regularly with a four man kill. He was well practised though, a serial killer back home. Sally on the other hand was not, he supposed she was a mass murderer by definition. She didn't talk about it much though. She tried to keep it all hidden but Philip had seen it. He'd found her talking to herself, shouting at thin air and threatening violence. She'd attacked Max once, cursing him for everything he had done to her. Evan had dragged her off kicking and screaming and she'd spent the rest of the night in an unresponsive state, rocking back and forwards in the asylum. 

Philip wasn't sure what the entity did to her. He figured what ever it was it helped with whatever issues she had, she didn't have nightmares anymore after that; didn't attack people in her sleep and try to strangle them. It just made her cold, like the last part of her heart had been taken, the last part that made her human. It made her unforgiving in trials. She became the most merciless and deadly killer of them all, Philip didn't know the last time all the survivors had escaped against her.

The rest of them had no chance of matching her power most of the time but some certainly tried. Some of them had made killing into a competition. Anna, Evan, Amanda and Michael-(though his participation was not official, just highly suspected) had a game of who could kill the most survivors over the course of ten trials. It was weird but Philip didn't mind. They could kill the survivors all they wanted, it was what happened outside of the trials that bothered him. Evan and Anna were determined hunters and liked to keep their skills in check. They usually went to Anna's forest, a place a little more lively when not in trial. It was home to a handful of deer, birds and other small wildlife. Replicas of the animals of course, some of them odd distortions of what they should be. The entity clearly wasn't too knowledgeable about the differences between crow species and really how could you expect it to be. 

Philip loved them all the same. His favourites being the fox that acted like a cat, the adult doe that still had spots and the crow that had a violet sheen to it's wings. They were friendly things, to him at least. He urged them to hide if they saw anyone else. Freddy had almost killed his violet crow. Apparently she was too noisy one trial and the man had tore her wings up with his horrid clawed glove. Philip had found her, laying with her useless wings flayed out either side of her broken body. He'd nursed her back to health, keeping her hidden high in the trees where Freddy couldn't find them.

Evan thought it was funny. He carried on his hunts as normal, simply telling Philip he'd avoid his 'furry friends'. The thought wasn't exactly relieving, he didn't like any of the animals being hurt. Besides, Anna made no such promise; all the animals were free game to her. She mostly liked the bigger animals, she was a bit of a show off when it came down to it. Bragging about the time she wrangled a bear with her bare hands. Though Evan told him it wasn't true Philip could believe it. Anna looked strong enough to wrangle anything with her bare hands, like bullets would bounce of her skin and fire would do nothing but give her a slight temperature. 

He tired to not let it phase him. Evan was sweet to him outside of his hunts and he said the teasing was all a joke. Philip couldn't help but still be annoyed though, Evan knew what the creatures meant to him, the solace and peace they offered him. He supposed Evan had nothing that brought him peace here, nothing to compare the feeling to. 

Giving one last look at the campfire in the distance he wiped the blood of the skull and headed over to the shop, it's corrugated iron walls rusty and sharp with age. The human part of him wanted to fix it so no one caught themselves on it, they would likely end up with a nasty infection if they did. He forced that thought down and carried on, heading out of his lands and into the lifeless misty woods that separated everywhere. He wanted to go to the forest.

Anna never minded him coming, he didn't disturb anything going on there. Outside of trials she didn't like Bubba going, claiming he couldn't handle the chainsaw properly and had taken several trees down. Bubba didn't seem to mind, likely because he probably didn't really understand. He still looked for his family, often heading to the cornfields where Max stayed and asking for them, not understanding that he was never going home. 

As he arrived in the forest he heard a familiar chirp as Kamaria  swooped down from the trees and landed on his shoulder. They wandered through the forest together, the crow perched happily on his shoulder as Philip talked about his latest trial and how he'd probably have to get another four man before the entity intervened. She cheeped in response every now and then, ruffling her feathers and pecking his cheek. Eventually the other two joined, Aminah taking the spot on his right and Jabari on his left. Evan said he should have called Aminah, Bambi. Philip wasn't sure why and ended up getting told about a lot of Disney movies he'd apparently missed out on. He wondered if his sister back home ever saw them.

Aminah pressed her nose into his side and he ran a hand down her spotted side and smiled. They all stopped at a clearing, Philip taking a seat against a tree and letting Jabari curl up on his lap. The fox emitted a low purring sound and he couldn't help but chuckle. The four of them sat in peace for a while, the rain starting to break through the trees and drip down onto his face. He found it cleansing, like every time he was here his soul was being purged of all the bad he'd had to do that day. He relished the feeling.

He was broke from his peace when he heard a familiar grunt in the distance. Anna was back from a trial. He heard Evan say something and he sighed. He herded his friends up and started to lead them away from the area, not risking anything with those two around. He bid his farewells to them, getting licked by Jabari and pecked again by Kamaria. They gave him understanding looks as they left, scuttling off into the bushes. His mood dropped slightly when they had gone and headed back to where the others had been, not excited to see what they might have caught already.

'Ah Philip are you finally joining?' Anna asked as he arrived, sharpening her axe on a piece of stone.

'No I don't think so.' He told her, smiling weakly as he watched.

She gave him a nod and carried on, humming under her breath. Evan was sat beside her, fingers fumbling in one of his traps that looked like it had been sabotaged. He looked up as he saw Philip stood there and smiled.

'So how was your trial?' He asked, getting to his feet and coming over.

Philip shrugged.

'I killed Dwight, the others got out.'

Evan frowned at him and tilted his head.

'You're going to have to do better next time, the entity will get pissed if you start slacking off like that again.'

Philip just nodded and sat down beside Anna, looking at the mangled bear trap sat on the table.

'I'm being serious Philip, you'll end up getting hurt if the entity thinks you're not useful.'

'I know Evan I'm just...I'm just tired alright.'

He prodded at one of the pins that had been broken off the trap, he thought about stashing it so that Evan couldn't use it for any of the animals in here. It was a stupid thought really, he knew Evan would have loads of them.

'Hey I'm just looking out for you alright? I don't want you hurt.'

Evan had a soft look in his eyes, a look that he rarely saw. Philip smiled slightly at the concern and leant forward on the table, head in his hands.

'Thank you, I know you do. This place just gets to me sometimes.' 

Evan nodded and placed a warm hand on his shoulder, massaging it slightly to relieve some of the tension. 

'It gets to all of us.' 

He stepped behind and began massaging properly. Philip felt his body slacken and his brain go fuzzy, Evan had strong hands, unfairly large strong hands.

He heard Anna mumbling something beside him, in Russian he presumed as he didn't understand it and he gave her an apologetic look.

'Sorry for stealing your hunting partner.' 

She shook her head at him.

'Вот ведь негодникb!'

He laughed and she smirked at him before getting up and heading off alone.

'How did her trial go?' Philip asked, leaning his head back to look up at his partner.

'Four man, she's on a winning streak at the moment. Amanda is not pleased, she spent half her last trial chasing Ace round so everyone got out.'

He smiled smugly at the thought, Amanda had given him grief last time that had happened to him.

'She's in third then?'

'She is now, I haven't done too badly the last few trials. Jake's a problem though as you can see.' He gestured down to the broken trap. 'I'm taking my bloody coil next time, mostly just to see his face.'

Philip laughed, he wished he could see it himself.

His shoulders eventually loosened up and he rolled them experimentally. They felt a hell of a lot better and his movements felt smoother. He gave Evan an approving look who smiled and took a seat beside him.

'Better?'

'Much, thank you.'

He leant into Evan's shoulder, manoeuvring his face around the spikes to find a comfortable spot. They chatted for a while about the trials, how their new arrival Rin was settling in, Amanda's supposed crush on her and reminiscing of life back home. The home stories were always last, they'd leave you sad and quiet most of the time so were often spared in casual conversation.

Anna returned after a while, telling them she was heading back to the lodge. Philip figured he should go home too as he could tell the end of the day was drawing close. He said goodbye to Anna and hung onto Evan for a while after she left. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, his face tucked into the crook of his partners neck. They walked back through the woods hand in hand, Evan dropping him off at the entrance of the wreckers yard.

'It's like we're high school dating.' Philip joked awkwardly. 'You dropping me off home safe so my dad doesn't get mad.'

'I was the classic jock at high school, you can be the nerd that softens my heart.'

Philip rolled his eyes and groaned, throwing a wave over his shoulder as he walked into the yard.

'Goodnight Evan.'

'Goodnight Philip.'

****   
He swung at Laurie, missing her by a hair. She hurdled a window into shop and disappeared for a moment as she ran round the corner. She was the last one left and Philip was determined to get her before she found the trap door. He already had the entity breathing down his neck and a four man was what he needed to get it off. 

He stepped over the window and followed her tracks, listening out for any sign of the hatch in the distance. She dropped a pallet on him and he grunted in pain before kicking it, anger boiling up inside him. 

The chase didn't last much longer; he got a hit as she vaulted over a window and managed to grab her as she tried for another. He carried her to a hook, grateful she'd used her glass shard earlier. As he threw her on he heard a soft whirring sound and turned to see the hatch a few feet away from them. Laurie tried to kick him as he smirked at her and he stepped back with a laugh as the entity took her. 

He wiped the blood off as she was consumed and set his weapon aside. The entity gave him a pleased grumble and he sighed with relief- he could relax again. 

Taking one last look at the sky he turned round and set off for the forest. He was excited to tell Evan about his kill and spend somewhere a little more peaceful. He passed through the woods quickly, pausing as he saw Freddy in a trial at Haddonfield and sneered.  _David you better flashlight that son of  bitch for me._

He arrived at the forest, glad to see no one had a trial there. He stepped in and rolled his shoulders has he breathed in the earthy smell. As he allowed himself to listen he felt a chill go up his spine and he began to feel uneasy. He looked round hesitantly, wondering if maybe someone was watching him; Michael had a habit of just standing there sometimes, looking at you with those cold eyes.

No one seemed to be around and he made his way through the forest quickly- maybe someone was hurt. He'd heard of survivors attacking them before so it could be something serious. 

He reached Anna's house in the middle, searching it quickly for any signs of anyone. Nothing. He tried the other little hut, the shack and all around the forest til finally he caught sight of Evan at the edge of the treeline near the hill. 

'Evan!' He called out, jogging over towards him. 

Evan's head turned slowly, a grim look on his face and he felt his blood run cold.

'Philip I'm sorry please don't look.' Evan stepped up to meet him, hands out forcefully.

'What's wrong who is it?'

'I don't want to tell you.' 

Philip frowned and pushed forward trying to see, Anna was stood in front of whoever it was.

'Is it Amanda? Please tell me it's not her.'

Evan shook his head, hands still gripping his shoulders.

'I'm sorry Philip.' Anna said. 'If I'd have known.'

He frowned even more at that, had they hurt one of their own? Evan's grip slackened and he stepped forward. He searched the floor quickly, confused when he couldn't see a mass of clothes or a masked face. 

Finally his eyes settled on something smaller. Laid crumpled up on the floor with one wing clean off. It was Kamaria.

'No...' He muttered, falling to his knees to grab her. 'No this can't have happened, no I fixed her...'

'I'm sorry I didn't realise it was her.' Evan whispered, placing a hand on Philips shoulder's.

He sat there motionless, staring at her lifeless body. She was almost unrecognisable, only the violet sheen giving it away and even that was mostly obscured with blood.

'I fixed her.' He repeated, fighting the urge to shake her awake as if this was some awful dream they were both in.

'I know Philip, I'm sorry I-'

'I fucking fixed her!' He roared, standing up and shaking Evan's grip off.

'I spent weeks making her better and you go and do this? You know what she meant to me and you go and do this!'

Evan tried to put an arm on him again and he slapped it away furiously.

'Don't even try.' He spat, shaking his head with anger.  'You said you never wanted me to get hurt, well guess what? We didn't even need the entity for that.'

'Philip listen to yourself.' Anna interrupted. 'All this over a bird?'

'Just because you two can't seem to care about anything other than killing doesn't mean I don't, she was like my family in this hell.'

He saw Evan's eyes harden at that.

'You know I care about you, you know this was an accident.'

'I asked you to stop and you wouldn't, your blood lust got her killed.'

'Philip just listen to me-'

'No I don't want to hear what you have to say!' He growled, wishing he hadn't left his skull behind at the wreckers yard.

He knelt down and scooped Kamaria up, gritting his teeth as he picked up her wing separately. Evan tried to stop him as he left but he pulled away, running as fast as he could out of the forest. He saw Jabari and Aminah in the hedges as he passed and he felt his heart clench. He gathered them up too, not thinking if the entity would let them pass between the realms. He closed his eyes as he ran through, relieved to see they were still beside him on the other side. 

Philip led them all to the yard, finding a quiet spot near one of the little fire pits. The two animals circled around him nervously as he sat down, Jabari sniffing curiously at his arms. He felt tears in his eyes as he laid Kamaria out before them, her body looked worse than before in the harsher lights. Aminah nosed her body as if to wake her, giving him a confused look when she didn't move.

'She's gone.' He whispered to her, shaking his head with grief. 

She looked down again, nudging the wing into a better position to align with her body before laying down with her head dipped. Jabari still looked confused. He licked her clean of the blood and patted at her body, expecting her to start cawing at him to get off. 

Philip pulled the body back from him, afraid the fox might damage it more in an attempt to awaken her. He searched one of the chests left for the survivors and got out a med kit, using the needle and thread to stitch her wing back into place. The two animals watched as he worked, the pair were silent and he could see understanding in their eyes as the realised what had happened. 

She looked a little better once he'd done, and Jabari had gotten the worst of the blood. She looked like she might actually be sleeping after all. He placed the body back down again for them to see once more, Jabari burying his muzzle under her wing and making a slight whimpering sound. 

The three of them sat in silence til moonhigh when Philip decided it was time to let her go. He collected a few herbs and flowers from around the trees before wrapping her body up in them. He nudged the fire pit with a long stick to encourage the flames, he didn't like the idea of burying her in a place like this. Her spirit needed to be free.

Aminah gave her one last lick of goodbye before Philip careful dropped Kamaria down into the fire. The herbs releasing their soft scent into the air. He watched her burn away to ashes, more tears rolling down his face as he did. He felt the two at either side of him, their faces pressed into his leg in comfort and he patted their heads gratefully.

'She'll be somewhere better now.' He murmured to them and they seemed to understand that.

***

He found himself being extremely violent in his next trial. He expected he'd be slow and sluggish, still weak with grief but as his weapon connected with Jake's shoulder he found himself filling with rage. He slaughtered all four of them again, pulling Feng from the hatch as she tried to jump in. 

He wiped his blade clean at the end, not casting it aside this time as he headed to the forest. He had taken the other two back that night, not risking anything happening to them in the wreckers yard. They didn't know the place as well and they'd have no trees for shelter and food. He didn't like the idea of them being with Evan and Anna again but he knew he had no choice. He'd just have to protect them as best he could. 

The forest was in use when he arrived, it looked like Sally was in there,still only in the early stages of a trial. He wouldn't be allowed in while it was in use and he sighed before carrying on through the woods. He wasn't sure where he was going til he arrived at the Game. He entered nervously, the place managed to give him the creeps.

'Amanda?' He called out, heading to the CCTV room.

He found her at one of the tables, working on one of her reverse bear traps. 

'Hey Philip.' She greeted, smiling at him as their eyes met.

Philip smiled back weakly, it was strange seeing her with no mask. She didn't take it off for months when she first arrived.

'Hi Amanda.'

She frowned at that, setting aside her wrench.

'What's up with you? Problems with your man?'

Philip sighed.

'You could say that.'

He sat at the table, watching as she continued to work and told her what had happened. She didn't say anything as he spoke, only giving him a handful of sympathetic looks every now and then.

'So, I don't know what to do.' He told her when he'd finished, his head in his hands.

'You need to speak to him Philip.'

'I know I do but I'm still angry, I think things are going to get worse.'

'Well I'm afraid there's not a lot more I can offer.'

He slumped back in his chair, dreading the thought. He could still see Kamarias's stiffened body when he closed his eyes. 

Amanda gave him a stern look and he got to his feet.

'I'll go it's fine no need to force me. I'm just worried this might be it...'

Amanda gaze softened and she reached a hand out to his shoulder.

'I'll be honest here, I'm real shit at this kind of thing. My mentor John was the only family I really had and our relationship was... not the greatest we'll say.

Philip smiled sadly at her, he knew Amanda's life had been more screwed up than his. 

'I'm sorry.'

'You don't need to apologise for my shit, just go and actually try and fix your own for me.'

***

The forest was empty when he arrived this time but he still found himself hanging round the entrance awkwardly.

Jabari and Aminah seemed to be waiting around at the edge for him so he reluctantly entered into the realm, his body going cold as he did. The animals licked him in greeting and he gently petted them in return, putting off speaking with Evan for as long as he could. 

Eventually he forced himself to move, heading to where he figured Evan would come providing he wasn't in a trial. Anna's house was empty, though he could see her in the distance when he checked upstairs. It looked like she was alone so he assumed Evan wasn't here yet.

He sat down at the top of her house, his legs dangling down over the edge. Jabari came upstairs happily, Aminah following behind a little more cautiously. She eventually sat down closer to the wall and Jabari snuggling up beside her. He smiled at them fondly, he knew he would have to work extra hard to keep these two safe.

He sat watching Anna as he waited. It didn't look like she was hunting, more like she was collecting something. It looked like fire wood, he didn't think the fire in her house would ever go out but he figured she might find comfort in the ritualistic action of it. She began chopping it all up on a block not too far from the house, the sound was consistent and almost hypnotic in nature- it felt like it was sending him to sleep.

'Philip?'

His head jerked up as he heard his name and he looked round to see Evan stood in the doorway.

'Hello Evan.'

The Trapper stood for a while looking at the two animals curled up before taking a seat beside him: a lot further away than usual.

'I'm sorry about what happened.' He began, not looking at him. 

'I knew you liked your animals, I just... didn't know she was that important.'

'She was like a child to me.' He replied, a small smile on his lips. 'As stupid as that must sound to you.'

'I don't really understand it I must admit. I had a dog back home, I guess it was more like a tool for me than a companion though.'

Philip met his gaze, his eyes felt tired and he knew it would show in his face.

'We're just different I guess.'

'I know we are, I didn't realise how much.' He paused slightly scratching the back of his head and frowning. 'I just don't get it at all, I know that you like them and they're fun to be around but you were so angry at me? I don't want to sound awful here but... I just thought my love was enough for you...'

Philip sighed and leant forward to let his elbows rest on his knees.

'Look...I love you Evan and I know you love me. But you see we're bad people, us loving each...other it feels like the kind of love I deserve, to be loved by someone who's not good either.'

Evan's face dropped a little as he said that, a sad look starting in his eyes.

'Those animals are the only truly good thing in this place, them loving me makes me feel like I could be something better. They love me despite everything I do, it's the kind of love I don't deserve but I have anyway.'

Evan looked away when he said that, his shoulders hunching up slightly.

'I don't mean to hurt you when I tell you this. You're love is everything to me, you just have to see that having theirs as well means I don't give up on myself completely, it means I can accept your love because I don't think so badly of myself that I think I'm completely undeserving.'

'I'm sorry I took that from you.' 

'I know you are, I just don't think I can forgive you just yet.'

Evan opened his mouth as if to say something and stopped, just nodding instead.

Philip didn't know what he was supposed to say now. He didn't want to say how he felt that Evan deserved to not be forgiven yet, that he deserved to feel the loss of love like he did. They were childish thoughts that would pass but for now they were feelings that wouldn't be going away to easily. 

He looked across to Evan. He was cradling his mask to his chest, like he was aching to put it back on and hide himself again. It was weird seeing him vulnerable like that.

'Do you want to say anything else?' He asked.

Evan shook his head.

'Not really.'

'Well what are you thinking about then?'

'I feel like a failure. I didn't think I could hurt you, not in a place where it seems like you can't get hurt anymore. A place that's already rock bottom.'

Philip smiled sadly and looked up to the dull moon in the sky. A moon that wasn't even real.

'I didn't think you would either.'

**Author's Note:**

> Russian translation thanks to: http://sowa-nejasyt.tumblr.com/
> 
> What Anna said to Philip means "you little shit" with one BIG difference: we say it to show our patience and love to person like "oh you so snaky bastard but i still love u"
> 
> I put the message because they sent me because i wanted to make sure it made sense instead of me trying to explain it lmao
> 
> Thank you again!!!
> 
> Tumblr: foxtail-magic


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